BLOG


Why Use a Venue Sourcing and Booking Agent?28 Oct 2014

When it comes to organising an event- it’s a profession in its own right. However, for whatever reason many companies don't have dedicated event bookers, it usually falls on the desk of a PA or Office Manager.  Even if they do have an Event Booker, organising a small board meeting or large annual conference for 1,000 delegates is never an easy task....especially when you have to juggle organising the event with other daily tasks in your job. Working with a good venue sourcing and booking agency hugely increases your chances of a successful event!

Reasons why to use an agent:

1.       They will save you precious time! They have a vast amount of knowledge when it comes to venues across the UK and usually worldwide!   From your brief they will usually be able to tell you off the top of their heads exactly which venues in that area will suit your requirements and budgets......and even if your brief is a little more complicated than usual, don’t worry, they will have a detailed search system which will automatically generate the best venues for you.  It saves you hours of time searching through venue websites and review sites! Agents are definitely the quickest and most efficient method of sourcing a venue.

2.       They have powerful buying power so will save you money! Once they have found you the perfect venue they will then undoubtedly be able to save you money when booking it.  As they book accommodation and meetings space for numerous clients on a daily basis they already have the relationship with the venue and usually a pre-negotiated discounted rate.   They also know exactly how much things cost and can spot an opportunity to negotiate a discount, for example they will usually negotiate for room upgrades and lunch and refreshment upgrades as standard.

3.       They have experience.  Most agents will have previous experience within the hospitality industry.  They will have had firsthand experience of working in hotels and will have a vast amount of knowledge in conference and event management.  They will not only be able to advise you on which venue is best for your requirements but also additional vital information such as room layouts, delegate registration process, AV equipment etc which will help your meeting, conference or event room smoothly.

4.       A venue finding agency is free! Yep, that’s right! Most Venue finding agencies, like Hospitality Guaranteed, won't charge you for the venue finding and booking service.   The agency generally gets commission on bookings, but because they have such buying power they can still get you a cheaper rate than going direct so their commission will never affect you.

5.       Loyalty Schemes Any reputable booking agency will have a loyalty scheme.  This encourages you to continue to book through them to help increase their buying power but this also means you personally receive valuable points for each booking, which can then be transferred into shopping vouchers!  They will also honour any loyalty schemes you already have in place with particular hotel chains you already book with.

6.       You can take the credit!  As there is no fee your boss need never know that it isn't you doing all the work!  You can take all the credit for finding the perfect venue, negotiating a fantastic rate and organising a great conference!

So what's the catch I hear you say?

There genuinely isn't one!  You may think we are slightly bias but there honestly isn't any reason why you shouldn't be using a Venue Sourcing and Booking Agency like Hospitality Guaranteed.  If you don't already use us then why not give us a try?  You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain! 

Emma Hall